Acid tester for batteries

ABSTRACT

A device of the syringe type is provided, adapted to siphon electrolyte from cells of batteries, to ascertain, like a hydrometer, if the specific gravity of the electrolyte is sufficient to cause floating of a float in the electrolyte within the device, to determine the state of the charge, and with the float also having specific characteristics for advising the operator, if the test is being conducted at the proper temperature.

United States Patent [1 1 Pavlo ACID TESTER FOR BATTERIES [75] Inventor:William A. Pavlo, Fiectwood, Pa.

[73] Assignee: General Battery Corporation,

Reading, Pa.

[22] Filed: Sept. 5, 1972 211 App]. No.: 286,213

[52] US. Cl. 73/441, 73/356 [51] Int. Cl. G0ln 9/14 [58] Field of Search73/441, 442, 444,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,386,289 6/1968 Nor-cross.L 73/441 Aug. 28, 1973 3,633,425 1/1972 Sanford 73/356 PrimaryExaminer-James J. Gill Assistant Examiner-Anthony V. CiarianteAftbFhEyl-lenry N. Penna, John F. McNulty et a1.

[ ABSTRACT A device of the syringe type is provided, adapted to siphonelectrolyte from cells of batteries, to ascertain, like a hydrometer, ifthe specific gravity of the electrolyte is sufficient to cause floatingof a float in the electroiyte within the device, to determine the stateof the charge, and with the float also having specific characteristicsfor advising the operator, if the test is being conducted at the propertemperature.

10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures ACID TESTER FOR BATTERIES BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION In the art of lead acid storage batteries, and particularly atthe points of distribution to the public, many individuals who arecharged with the sale and/or installation of batteries may lack thetechnical training to thoroughly understand the proper handling ofbatteries. Specifically, in the handling of automobile batteries and thelike, it is necessary to apply an electrolyte to the battery cells, andthen place the battery in a charging circuit, until the electrolytereaches the desired level, at a desired temperature.

It has been found that 6-volt batteries should be charged at 60 to 70amps, and l2-volt batteries charged at 30 to 40 amps, each for at least10 minutes. This applies to most batteries, although there may beexceptions in certain instances. These charges should be done on thebattery, with the electrolyte in the battery at a level at the top ofthe plate separators.

The specific gravity of the electrolyte or battery acid solution forautomobile batteries for example, it has been found, should be at 1.250,or higher, at 80 stall the batteries, such personnel often beinguntrained,

and unfamiliar with the reading of hydrometers and the like, it becomeshighly desirable to minimize the complications of properly readying abattery for usage. Thus, 'it'has been found that to provide instructionswith each battery that the temperature of the battery should first bebrought to a level of 80 F. or above, and then a hydrometer readingshould be taken, in order to assure that the specific gravity of theelectrolyte is at the desired level (generally 1.250 or above), wouldordinarily require two distinct operations by the personnel installingthe battery. Thus, in may instances it may happen that only thehydrometer reading is taken, and the requirement that the specificgravity be at the desired value at a specific temperature is overlooked.If the specific gravity reading is taken at a temperature below about 80F., an improper value for the specific gravity of the electrolyte willbe ascertained, and the charging is likely to be discontinued too early,

thereby resulting in an insufficiently charged battery that potentiallymay cause other operating difficulties, such as not sustaining itscharge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed towardproviding a simple and inexpensive testing device for batteries that andthe like, but which is simple and expedient to read.

It is a further object of this invention to accomplish the objects setforth immediately above, wherein the reading involves only thedetermination of color of a floatable member,-and the determination ofwhether or not the floatable member is floating in the electrolyte beingtested.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel acid testingdevice for batteries that may be constructed sufficiently inexpensivelythat such a device may be provided for each battery being sold.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the followingbrief descriptions of the drawings figures, detailed description of thepreferred embodiment, and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a testing device in accordance withthis invention, and a battery adapted for testing by the same.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a floatable member,for use with a syringe-type testing device, in accordance with thisinvention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings indetail, reference is first made to FIG. 1, wherein the syringe-typetesting device is generally designated by the numeral 10, as comprisinga generally transparent tubular member 11, of glass, plastic or likeconstruction that is suitable for use with mild acids, electrolytes,etc. The tubular member 11 is elongated, as illustrated in FIG. 1, andhas an opening 12 at its lower end, the outer portion 13 of which is ofreduced diameter, for facilitating inlet of the member 10, into anopening in a battery cell. The member 11 has an inner surface 14 thatdefines a bore 15, adapted to accommodate a ball-type float member 16therein, for freedom of movement vertically through the bore 15,depending upon the liquid level in the bore 15. It will be noted thatthe lower end of the bore 15 is of reduced diameter, in order to preventdischarge of the ball 16 outwardly through the opening 12. It will benoted that the bore 15 is generally cylindrical in construction, andsuch recitation generally cylindrical can also accommodate a slightlytapered configuration, if desired.

It will further be noted that while the member 11 is referred to asbeing glass-like, such a term will be construed within the context ofthis specification as encompassing certain plastics and the like thatare functional equivalents of glass in this context.

At the upper end of the member 1 1, there is provided a manuallysqueezable or deformable bulb member I7, fitted over the open upper endof the member 11, in tight sealing relation therewith, with the member17 being adapted to be squeezed within its elastic limit and then beingpermitted to return to its original shape as illustrated in FIG. 1,creating a partial vacuum within the member 11, for drawing batteryelectrolyte into the tubular member 11, through the inlet 12 thereof.

The ball 16 may be of any suitable interior construction, having wax andclay as a weighting member 18, and with an outer surface layer orportion 21 of the ball l6 being constructed of a material that willchange color at a given temperature, preferably at about F. The ballportion 18 is usually made of wax containing selected amounts of fillerssuch as clay to adjust the specific gravity to the range desired. Thesurface layer 21 may be adhered to the weighting portion 18 by a layer20 of lacquer, for example black in color. The surface 21 of the ball 16may be impregnated with liquid crystals of the type that change color ina response to application of heat thereto, with such crystals beingselected in type and number, in order that a readily observable colorchange will effective upon contact of battery electrolyte drawn into themember 11 through the inlet 12, with the outer surface of the ball 16.The outer surface 21, as aforesaid, may comprise liquid crystals of thecholesteric type, that are encapsulated. One type of such crystal wouldbe that disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,585,381, issued June 15, 1971,having a type and number of liquid crystals adapted to give a desirablecolor change phenomena that is readily observable, at 80 F. It will alsobe apparent, that if desired, the liquid crystal coating 21 for the ball16 could be of the type that changes color a plurality of times, atdifferent temperatures. For example, the surface 21 could be of a typethat, at 80 F. will change from the color red to green, but that at someupper limit of temperature, above which battery acid specific gravitytesting is not recommended, for example 110 F., the surface 21 couldchange to another color, for example blue, giving a double indication ofcolor change, between which the measurement or determination ofacceptable specific gravity of the electrolyte may be made.

It will also be apparent that the ball 16 is weighted by the portion 18,or otherwise, to float upon the electrolyte being drawn from a cellinlet 23 of a battery 22 having a specific gravity reading of 1.250.Thus, the weight of the ball 20, in order to float in such anelectrolyte, will also be a function of its size (dimensional)characteristics, all of which affect density and specific gravity.

It will further be noted that the glass tubular member 1 1 could beprovided with graduations to give a specific indication of specificgravity, if desired. However, an important aspect of the presentinvention lies in its adaptablility to simplicity, whereby one need onlydetermine if the ball 16 is floating in an electrolyte within thetubular member 11, and if its coloris proper, in order to assure thatthe electrolyte in the battery is at a desired level of charge at theproper temperature. It will thus be apparent that the device of thisinvention is sufficiently simple that the same may be inexpensivelyconstructed and individually provided with each battery. However, as hasbeen mentioned above, in cases where more experienced personnel areinvolved in the measurement of acceptability of the electrolyte, theprovision of graduations on the tubular member 11, for preciseindication of specific gravity numerically, and/or the preciseindication of temperature of the electrolyte, by recording which of aplurality of colors appears on the surface of the ball 16 at anyinstant, for indicating a precise temperature, may be employed, as forexample, at the point of battery manufacture, for testing purposes.

It will also be apparent that any other type of colorchange surfacephenomena may be employed for the ball 16, as may various modificationsbe made in the details of construction, as well as the use and operationof the hydrometer of this invention, all within the spirit and scope ofthe invention as recited in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A testing device for use in checking battery acid, comprising anelongated tubular member of substantially transparent glass-likeconstruction having a generally cylindrical inner surface defining anelongated bore, said bore being of reduced diameter at the lower end,and having a battery acid-receiving inlet at the lower end, meanscarried at the upper end of the tubular member adapted to be deformedmanually for resilient recovery thereby creating a partial vacuum insidethe tubular member for drawing battery acid thereinto, a float memberdisposed in said tubular member for longitudinal movement along the borethereof above said reduced diameter portion, said float member being ofa size and weight to provide an indication as a function of itsfloatation characteristics of the specific gravity of battery acidreceived within the tubular member, with said float member comprising atleast an outer surface portion having predetermined color-changecharacteristics responsive to temperature, comprising means operative inresponse to temperature of battery acid receiving through the inlet ofsaid tubular member, for indicating if the acid is at an acceptabletemperature for determining specific gravity characteristics thereof byundergoing a visually observable color change. 4

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said float member is of the ball type,having a size and weight for indicating if the acid being tested has apredetermined acceptable level of specific gravity by floating if thespecific gravity of the acid is at least at the predetermined level.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said float member has size and weightcharacteristics for indicating if the specific gravity of the acid beingtested is at least about 1.250.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the characteristics of the outersurface of the float member are selected to change color only if thetemperature of the acid being tested is at least F.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the tubular member has a reduced outerdiameter at its lower end for facilitating the entry thereof intobattery cell openings.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein said tubular member is free of anygraduations, for indicating only if an acceptable level of specificgravity for the acid being tested is reached, by the floatation of thefloat member in the acid.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the float member is of the elongatedtype, having a size and weight and indicia thereon for indicating theactual value of specific gravity of the acid being tested.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the characteristics of the outersurface of the float member are selected to change color only is thetemperature of the acid being tested is at least 80 F.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the outer surface of the float memberis comprised of encapsulated liquid crystals.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said float member, inside its outersurface portion is of wax and clay construction.

UN TED STATES PA'l El iT OFFICE CERTIFIQATE 6F CORRECTWN Patent No-3,754,445 Dated Auqust 28 1973 Inventofls) William A. Pavlo' It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col'umh 4 line 24 change "receiving" t o received.

Signed and"'sealed' this 19th" day of February 19'TL (SEAL) Atte st: 1*

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,J'R. MARSHALL DANN Attesting'offiwl" 7 Commissioner ofPatents USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 1 u.s. GOVIINMENT PRINTING orrlc: n09o-au-au FORM P0-1050 (10-69)

1. A testing device for use in checking battery acid, comprising anelongated tubular member of substantially transparent glasslikeconstruction having a generally cylindrical inner surface defining anelongated bore, said bore being of reduced diameter at the lower end,and having a battery acid-receiving inlet at the lower end, meanscarried at the upper end of the tubular member adapted to be deformedmanually for resilient recovery thereby creating a partial vacuum insidethe tubular member for drawing battery acid thereinto, a float memberdisposed in said tubular member for longitudinal movement along the borethEreof above said reduced diameter portion, said float member being ofa size and weight to provide an indication as a function of itsfloatation characteristics of the specific gravity of battery acidreceived within the tubular member, with said float member comprising atleast an outer surface portion having predetermined color-changecharacteristics responsive to temperature, comprising means operative inresponse to temperature of battery acid receiving through the inlet ofsaid tubular member, for indicating if the acid is at an acceptabletemperature for determining specific gravity characteristics thereof byundergoing a visually observable color change.
 2. The device of claim 1,wherein said float member is of the ball type, having a size and weightfor indicating if the acid being tested has a predetermined acceptablelevel of specific gravity by floating if the specific gravity of theacid is at least at the predetermined level.
 3. The device of claim 2,wherein said float member has size and weight characteristics forindicating if the specific gravity of the acid being tested is at leastabout 1.250.
 4. The device of claim 3, wherein the characteristics ofthe outer surface of the float member are selected to change color onlyif the temperature of the acid being tested is at least 80* F.
 5. Thedevice of claim 4, wherein the tubular member has a reduced outerdiameter at its lower end for facilitating the entry thereof intobattery cell openings.
 6. The device of claim 4, wherein said tubularmember is free of any graduations, for indicating only if an acceptablelevel of specific gravity for the acid being tested is reached, by thefloatation of the float member in the acid.
 7. The device of claim 1,wherein the float member is of the elongated type, having a size andweight and indicia thereon for indicating the actual value of specificgravity of the acid being tested.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein thecharacteristics of the outer surface of the float member are selected tochange color only is the temperature of the acid being tested is atleast 80* F.
 9. The device of claim 4, wherein the outer surface of thefloat member is comprised of encapsulated liquid crystals.
 10. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein said float member, inside its outer surfaceportion is of wax and clay construction.